Tanisha Rana
Published on: 19 August, 2022 at 20:50 IST
The Madurai bench of Madras High Court has ordered all government law colleges in the state of Tamil Nadu to install portraits of the Indian Constitution’s Architect, Dr. BR Ambedkar.
Justice GR Swaminathan passed this order, after hearing to a plea filed by a Scheduled Caste Law Student who sought revoking of disciplinary proceedings instituted against him by his college authorities for allegedly getting himself involved into a tiff with the authorities over non-installation of the portrait of Dr. BR Ambedkar in the office room of the college’s principal.
The court ordered,
“Dr. Ambedkar is the architect of the Indian Constitution. He is the very symbol of social liberation. His scholarship is unparalleled. He can be the greatest inspiration for every law student. The Director of Legal Studies, Chennai is requested to issue circular mandating the installation of the portrait of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in all the Government Law Colleges in Tamil Nadu.”
Interestingly, Justice Swaminathan, after listening to the plea, decided to install a portrait of Dr. BR Ambedkar in his chambers.
Justice Swaminathan said,
“Charity should begin at home. As I was finalizing the draft order dictated in the open court, I looked around. I confess that the photograph of Dr. Babasaheb is not on the walls of my chambers. I resolved to make good the omission at the earliest.”
The Court also agreed that during the proceedings of this matter, the bench might have treated the student-petitioner with harshness and therefore, ordered that costs of Rs. 10,000 deposited in other case should be paid to the student-petitioner.
The petitioner S Sasikumar, a 4th year law student in Government Law College, Theni was suspended from his college after allegedly getting himself involved into a tiff with the authorities over non-installation of the portrait of Dr. BR Ambedkar in the office room of the college’s principal.
Further, he also wanted the subjects to be taught in Tamil.
The Court indicated the petitioner to give a handwritten letter of apology to the principal and concerned authority. Further, the court also ordered the government counsel to report, once the portrait has been installed in the office room of the principal.
The single-judge quoted,
“Dr. Ambedkar said ‘Be Educated, Be Organised and Be Agitated’. The petitioner must focus on the first advice for the next two years.”